The present invention relates generally to safety belt retractors having a retractor spring for biasing the safety belt reel to a safety belt wound condition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a prewound retractor spring housing assembly wherein the retractor spring is maintained in a prewound condition within the assembly preparatory to mounting to a preassembled safety belt retractor.
Various types of safety belt retractors are currently in use in automotive and aircraft vehicles in association with safety belts and safety harnesses employed for restraining a passenger in his vehicle seat in the event of a sudden deceleration of the vehicle or other emergency conditions. Such retractors normally have a power spring for biasing an associated safety belt reel toward a fully wound condition wherein associated safety belt or harness webbing is stored within the retractor. Heretofore, it has been common to provide such retractor springs within a housing on the side wall of a U-shaped retractor frame with an inner end of the spring engaging in a slot provided in an end of the reel shaft protruding through the retractor frame side wall.
In such prior retractors, it has also been common to wind the spring when in engagement with the reel shaft to a desired prewound condition and then assemble a surrounding housing having means for retaining the outer free end of the spring against a spring unwinding movement. Such housings have been generally made of plastic material and fastened to the retractor side wall by appropriate fastening means, such as bolts, screws or the like. The assembly of the power spring has thus heretofore been accomplished in association with the fabrication of the retractor in what is now considered less convenient than an arrangement wherein the power spring could be provided in a prewound condition from the spring manufacture for simple assembly to the retractor.